May 11: Time Out for the Garden

Erik and Scotty level the fence posts - not so easy on the sloping grade.

Setting recycled posts Harry sourced from a former blueberry farm on the mainland.

The lower gate looks good.

Erik tests the upper gate height.

Discussing the garden plan - there's a double gate that opens for vehicles as well as a person gate.

We love Erik's creative gate and handle.

Scotty installs raised beds while Erik tills the future raspberry bed.

While waiting for the concrete slab to cure, and in between other tasks, Erik and Scotty fenced in a garden area, constructed six raised beds, and helped with tilling and garden preparation.

May 9: Pouring the Concrete Slab

Slab forms are installed between piers with a rebar grid. 
Electrical conduit and a ground wire are placed prior to pouring concrete.

Sea Island returns without a pump truck this time to pour the slab.

Erik, with help from Rick, moves concrete around in between the forms.

The last section of the slab is filled.

Erik wheelbarrows some extra concrete down the hill to pour a pad at the bottom of the deck stairs.

Rick uses a power trowel to finish the slab surface.

The slab is finished, now we wait for it to cure.

April 26: First Concrete Pour

Erik and Scotty are greeted the morning of the concrete pour by a happy dog.

Sea Island Sand & Gravel supplied a pump truck to reach all of the piers.

John operates the controls for the pump truck boom.

Scotty controls the hose, filling the concrete forms while Erik follows finishing the concrete.

After filling all of the forms with concrete, Scotty teams up with Erik to expedite the concrete finishing.

April 18: Building Concrete Forms

 Erik uses a transit to precisely pinpoint the pier elevations.

A rebar grid is placed in a footing, continuous under the

four East piers to resist potential seismic forces.

 The rebar grid must centered and tied to the forms prior to pouring concrete.

 The piers on the East side are square to accommodate the larger post bases.

High uplift capacity post bases are placed in pier forms.
Concrete will be poured around them.

 The forms pass county inspection.

  One of the piers required a pump to remove the ground water seeping in through fractured bedrock.  

John Cadden returned to the site to excavate for footings for all the barn posts. Erik and Scott then built plywood footing forms with rebar cages tied inside them.  Sonotube pier forms were then secured to the top of the form boxes.  Most of the posts are on individual piers, however the east wall of the barn required a continuous footing with four piers which resist seismic forces on the structure.

April 9: Milling Logs Into Siding

Using Kaj's bandsaw, Erik and Kaj turn the roughsawn logs into siding.

Kaj's mill in action at West Sound Lumber's sawmil

Nuñez delivers more Douglas Fir logs to the queue.

Fresh off the mill.

The bandsaw slices off uneven edges.

Erik stacks up the siding and trim with stickers in between.

Our big stack of posts, beams and siding awaits delivery!

West Sound Lumber milled a large, sustainably harvested timber package for our post and beam barn. Some of the island fir logs became 8x8 posts and beams, and others were roughly canted for bandsaw milling.

Kaj brought his portable sawmill to West Sound Lumber, where he and Erik milled our logs into board and batten siding and trim. Meanwhile, West Sound Lumber is storing our timber under cover until the barn foundation is completed.

April: Barn Construction Begins

Erik and John Cadden discuss the excavation plan.

John and Erik spread gravel over the drainage area.

Erik walks back into the quarry - he and John went
to nearby Sea Island Sand and Gravel to hand-pick rocks
for the retaining wall.

This one’s a gut-buster.

Holes are dug for the footings and the forms are being assembled.

Earlier this month, our barn plans were approved and the permit was issued. Construction got underway as excavation began: Erik and John Cadden installed drainage, built a stone wall and dug holes for the post footings. Due to the large shed roofs, there are 12 posts in addition to the main timber frame barn structure. The barn moved away from the hill slightly due to avoid hammering through bedrock (yes - it's a rock island!).

September: Final Inspection, Moving Day

Inspection passed with flying colors - time to move in!

A few pieces of furniture turn the space into a home.

Erik is getting hungry. Love the new kitchen!

Meal's ready to eat!

Harry and Jason take a break on the deck.

Matt plays us a tune.

The final inspection went smoothly on the morning of Wednesday, September 14, just short of two years after we received the building permit. Woo hoo! We started moving things in that very same day. Most of the moving was done on Thursday.

It's amazing how a few sticks of furniture can transform a construction site into a home. We are so grateful to Matt, Jason and Erik for helping us move, and to Erik for all he has done/is doing to make our dreams come true. At day's end, we prepared a meal and had a wonderful evening. Certainly, a milestone to remember in our lives!

For a full album of move-in day photos, click here.

August: A Whirl of Activity

The ceiling fan fits in perfectly with the timbers.

The stairtower landing revealed itself - uncovered after months of being protected by cardboard.

The woodstove and its tall stovepipe were added to the main space,
which is still serving as an interior work area.

Miho finished tiling the master bath and fabricating
the granite counter; Erik built the vanity and the mirrored
medicine cabinet; Simmonds Glass made the glass shower doors;
Morris Plumbing installed the plumbing fixtures.

Appliances were installed in the kitchen and all the plumbing was connected.

The heat was on in August to finish up many details in many directions and to prepare for final inspection in early September.

Installed were the woodstove and chimney, ceiling fan, remaining electrical fixtures and plumbing fixtures. The stairtower landing was revealed as its protective covering was removed. After Erik completed two bathroom vanities, the mirrored medicine cabinet and the loft bedroom closet, he started in on the office, where he created a desktop, countertops, cabinets, shelves and drawers.

July: Front Porch and Backfill

Beau treads lightly on the cedar flooring.

Erik checks to make sure all the screws are lined up perfectly.


Finished railings match the deck and balcony.

The south yard is beautifully graded (and the drywall heap is gone)
thanks to John Cadden and his backhoe.

On the north side, Erik and Scott built steps up the steep grade.
Large rocks will hold the grass in place on the slope.

As Miho continued working on the soapstone counter, bathroom countertops and tile, Erik and Scott finished the front porch. The decking was milled from one of our cedar trees, and there was just enough left after doing the deck and balcony to finish the job.

While the field was dry, it was time to bring in the backhoe to clean up, backfill around the foundation and grade the site around the house.

July: Slice of Life

An eagle perches on our fence post to see...

...what furry creatures might be fleeing the tractor as neighbor farmer Bob harvests our hay.

A slice of life on Orcas Island.